GONE HOLLYWOOD! U.S. Attorney’s Office Sponsors Movie Night For The Disabled In St. Thomas

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The U.S. Department of Justice is sponsoring a free movie night for people with disabilities — five days before Christmas in St. Thomas, according to U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe.

“The purpose of this event is to celebrate and promote the remediation work done by Caribbean Cinemas of the V.I., Inc. to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”),” Sharpe told the Virgin Islands Free Press exclusively. “By working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to eliminate access barriers for individuals with disabilities, the theatres are now more accessible for the entire Virgin Islands community.”

Sharpe said that Caribbean Cinemas has implemented improvements that now put it in full compliance under the ADA: (1) increasing the amount of accessible seating; (2) making restrooms accessible; (3) providing assisted-listening systems for the hearing impaired; and (4) providing closed-caption systems for the hearing impaired. On August 6, 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands initiated an investigation under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and the Department of Justice’s implementing regulations regarding the accessibility of Caribbean Cinemas’ St. Thomas location.

As a result of this investigation, Caribbean Cinemas agreed to remedy potential violations of the ADA. In November 2015, a site visit confirmed that Caribbean Cinemas’ renovations complied with the ADA, and in December 2015 its assisted-listening and closed-caption systems were tested.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands, the Deaf Advocates Society, the Virgin Islands Association for Independent Living, and Caribbean Cinemas, invite persons with disabilities, especially hearing-impaired individuals, to attend a free showing where they will have the opportunity to use accessible devices and enjoy the full movie-going experience with other members of the community.

“This event is fully-sponsored by Caribbean Cinemas, whose cooperation was instrumental in bringing this matter to a just resolution,” Sharpe said.